Latest articles from Lithuania

Recognising there is strength in numbers, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are joining together to created a pan-Baltic capital market, with covered bonds the first product planned. Michael Turner reports.

Central and eastern European banks in the EU faced a sluggish 2013, but Poland led the region in terms of growth and the Czech Republic in terms of returns. Baltic banks are also starting to rise to the challenge.

From dealing with the knock-on effects of the US and EU sanctions on Russia to preparing for the adoption of the euro, Lithuania's finance minister Rimantas Šadžius has been kept busy this year. But, despite the headwinds, Lithuania has managed to record one of the highest GDP growth rates in Europe.

After a deep recession and housing bust in 2008 and a number of subsequent corporate governance crises, Lithuanian banks are finally returning to a steady footing, helped in no small measure by the presence of risk-averse Scandinavian lenders in the country.

The eurozone's troubles of the past few years have meant that the headlines have been dominated by those countries deemed likely to leave the currency union. However, there are EU members that still wish to sign up to euro membership. The question is, why?

Lithuania's president, Dalia Grybauskaite, tells The Banker of the importance for governments to balance their books, her prediction on the future of the euro and her country's commitment to common, coordinated governance with its partners and neighbours.

The Lithuanian economy has skyrocketed during the past decade largely due to expansive borrowing. However the country's financing model requires some fine-tuning to help it through the global slowdown, reports Gitanas Kancerevycius.

Estonia has previously eclipsed the other two Baltic states as a destination for inward investment, but all three are now aiming to move up the value chain by enhancing local skills to bring in top technology and service companies, reports Tom Blass.